JERUSALEM -- A dull-looking chart projected on the wall of a university office in Jerusalem displayed a revelation that would startle many readers of the Old Testament: the sacred text that people revered in the past was not the same one we study today.

An ancient version of one book has an extra phrase. Another appears to have been revised to retroactively insert a prophecy after the events happened.

Scholars in this out-of-the-way corner of the Hebrew University campus have been quietly at work for 53 years on one of the most ambitious projects attempted in biblical studies – publishing the authoritative edition of the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, and tracking every single evolution of the text over centuries and millennia.

And it has evolved, despite deeply held beliefs to the contrary.

_________________With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none” Arthur Schopenhauer

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I don't see the big deal. Those who purport to know it all, specifically evangelical wingnuts that believe the Bible is all, have the most to learn. If you're a believer, do you really think those crafty, mistake-prone humans copied it all down spot on?

And yet it’s (the Bible's) message to mankind of hope, peace, and salvation, through nothing more than faith remains constant and unwavering…

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"A believing Jew claims that the source of the Bible is prophecy," said the project's bearded academic secretary, Rafael Zer. "But as soon as the words are given to human beings – with God's agreement, and at his initiative – the holiness of the biblical text remains, even if mistakes are made when the text is passed on."

Yes, translations can have lots of mistakes, and Crossan showed many of these. He also showed how things were changed over time in the New testament to fulfill Old Testament prophesies. Basically, the virgin birth was made up, and so was the resurrection, through a series of changes. The truth was horrible, or had to be changed to make the religion "better". Then more big changes in 311AD.

_________________"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

Crossan is nothing more than another blasphemous, gnostic, and while he has made claims, that those who are predisposed to grasp at straws to disporve the Bible, inorder to sooth their own conscinces, dispreatly grasp at, he brings nothing new to history and he has proven nothing, while deyning much. And yet the Bibles message to mankind of hope, peace, and salvation, through nothing more than faith remains constant and unwavering despite the screeching of the non believers, …http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-27/livi ... =PM:LIVING

I found nothing blasphemous about Crossan's research or work, and it explained a lot. I can understand how he is hated and called names by those who think the Bible is the direct words of God. I see what the Bible did with breeding over-compassion and over-tolerance, and leading up to the present day extreme overpopulation, and acceptance of the kill cult by many.I had to quit the Catholic Church in 1992 when the Pope told the people of Mexico City not to use birth control. They went from 1/4 million living at the dump to 1/2+ million living there now. There was hope when it was still possible to turn things around from the population crash scenario. Now the only hope is that it happens before too much more coal and oil is burned, and thermageddon can be mitigated to where there is not a mass die off of most species on Earth, including humans.I went to being an "involved" Deist, with a healthy relationship with God, and not requiring to go through another before Him.The old testament is from fables and stories with some ancient wisdom, originally passed down orally, also including some dubious history. The new testament is more of the same, with some history more accurate, and more made up stories. Other religions have made up story books to suit their cultures, from close before or after 1BC. The koran was totally made up much later for the purpose of controlling an army of plunder, and is in the thread "the White Roses" on the real bad it incorporates(like taqiyya, the deception). The book of mormon was made up in 1820 or so when little was known of the pre-historic Americas. Apparently scarfed from a rejected manuscript novel written in "biblical style". I am not amazed at ignorant people believing all the garbage they do. Some of it is for the good, and OK if it is your thing. Some is very bad and worse for our future generations and biosphere.

_________________"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

I too am not amazed at ignorant people believing all the garbage they do. And as you say

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"Some of it is for the good, and OK if it is your thing. Some is very bad and worse for our future generations and biosphere."

But still none of that negates the Bibles message to mankind of hope, peace, and salvation, through nothing more than faith remains constant and unwavering despite the screeching of the non-believers … It has been so for thousands of years and I am certain it will be so till the END. If you believe the Mayan Calendar that may be in the winter of 2012

In Genesis is wisdom of the ages, "Replenish the Earth", apparently skipped over by most. "Fill the Earth, and Have Dominion" are misinterpreted From "Fill the Earth to sustainable level for harmony, happiness, and peace, not over-fill, and have knowledgeable benevolent use of the biosphere" as was meant by God(THIS is NOT a misinterpretation, God is a loving, benevolent entity, who made ALL the Laws of Sciences) . He didn't want the overpopulation and destruction of the biosphere in progress. Replenish the Earth means just what it says, to put back the equivalent of what you take out. It inherently means to not pollute beyond absorptive rates set by God, and not use resources beyond the rate at which they are regenerated. Like we are using oil and coal at 50K times their REGENERATION RATE, AND THE SOIL AND AQUIFER WATER AT 100 TIMES THEIR REGENERATION RATES--GET IT?Overpopulation has set in motion "horsemen of the Apocalypse" type factors all coming together after 2030. AGW effects on climate fluctuation and crops, aquifer depletion and surface water pollution effects on reducing yields and increasing diseases, soil depletion from a variety of means effects on yields, post peak oil effects on mass farming, fertilizers, distribution and prices, and overpopulation's effects of reduced wages and increased prices on the economic condition leading to riots (like this year) then wars, abject poverty, and all together a population crash sometime in the 2040s and completing with 90 to 95% die-off by 2060. This was a big part of it starting (along with sinful greed and lust);I see what the Bible did with breeding over-compassion and over-tolerance, and leading up to the present day extreme overpopulation, and acceptance of the kill cult by many.

>>>>>I am one of many who see this, yet are too few in number to affect the outcome, and will be dragged down with the rest in the crash. Hope for the future is fading as nothing substantial is being done. However, I know that I will have eternal life with God because I have done His Will. Have you?? I doubt it. hell for you?

_________________"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

Well it’s your privilege to be wrong in your interpretation of scripture but It’s not a good idea to go diddleing with jots and tittles or making predictions about the END of the World… After all the Bible is very clear about that… No man knows the day or the hour … or something like that… Any roads up… the Bible's message to mankind of hope, peace, and salvation, through nothing more than faith remains constant and unwavering despite the screeching of the non-believers … It has been so for thousands of years and I am certain it will be so till the END.

I don't see the big deal. Those who purport to know it all, specifically evangelical wingnuts that believe the Bible is all, have the most to learn. If you're a believer, do you really think those crafty, mistake-prone humans copied it all down spot on?

Right.

well said fosgate lol the bible is just chinese whispers no one can keep the facts accurate after so long as not everyone agrees hence why you get all the different religions no one wants to be the same

That's not what I'm saying. In fact, I wasn't questioning the validity of anything specifically stated in the Bible, much less stating from where it actually originates. I was, rather, speaking to a general level of accuracy. I don't buy into the notion tha one has to think the Bible is a perfect and fully comprehensive account of the word of God in order to be a decent follower of Christianity. That in itself would be a form of idolatry. The Bible is no more perfect than a human constructed church or the imagery contained therein. The intended message may be perfect, all rosy and peachy with sunshine, but application by humans fails often. Johnny alludes to this well. The difference is, I don't take out my frustration with a diety or a book written in its name for the failures of mankind.

I don't see the big deal. Those who purport to know it all, specifically evangelical wingnuts that believe the Bible is all, have the most to learn. If you're a believer, do you really think those crafty, mistake-prone humans copied it all down spot on?

Right.

well said fosgate lol the bible is just chinese whispers no one can keep the facts accurate after so long as not everyone agrees hence why you get all the different religions no one wants to be the same

That's not what I'm saying. In fact, I wasn't questioning the validity of anything specifically stated in the Bible, much less stating from where it actually originates. I was, rather, speaking to a general level of accuracy. I don't buy into the notion tha one has to think the Bible is a perfect and fully comprehensive account of the word of God in order to be a decent follower of Christianity. That in itself would be a form of idolatry. The Bible is no more perfect than a human constructed church or the imagery contained therein. The intended message may be perfect, all rosy and peachy with sunshine, but application by humans fails often. Johnny alludes to this well. The difference is, I don't take out my frustration with a diety or a book written in its name for the failures of mankind.

Fosgate"]I don't see the big deal. Those who purport to know it all, specifically evangelical wingnuts that believe the Bible is all, have the most to learn. If you're a believer, do you really think those crafty, mistake-prone humans copied it all down spot on?

That's not what I'm saying. In fact, I wasn't questioning the validity of anything specifically stated in the Bible, much less stating from where it actually originates. I was, rather, speaking to a general level of accuracy. I don't buy into the notion tha one has to think the Bible is a perfect and fully comprehensive account of the word of God in order to be a decent follower of Christianity. That in itself would be a form of idolatry. The Bible is no more perfect than a human constructed church or the imagery contained therein. The intended message may be perfect, all rosy and peachy with sunshine, but application by humans fails often. Johnny alludes to this well. The difference is, I don't take out my frustration with a deity or a book written in its name for the failures of mankind.[/quote]

The book of enoch which was omitted tells of extra terrestial life.[/quote][/quote]How about all the other omitted books, too? Some sound as nutty as you!!!

_________________"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein